Port Royal Rum - Info, Lyrics, Streaming Audio

Here's a new "old" song of the sea. It's the tale of a hardy young sailor who goes off whaling and acquires "the taste" for rum in the Jamaican harbor town Port Royal. It's a tragic song, as some sea songs are, for the lusty young man is now a derelict old wharf rat singing in a grungy port tavern (I've played a few places like that in my time!) for "scurvy sea scum" and begging for a swallow of...

Original Song Lyrics

At Port Royal town, first time arrived IAs crew to the English whale ship “Garmarye” I first tasted rum in the port taverns there And the Port Royal wenches were buxom and fair The Port Royal wenches were buxom and fair

Oh life in Port Royal did appeal to me I hated like hell to go back off to sea The Port Royal rum called to me from afar As I swabbed the deck, and hoisted the spar As he swabbed the deck, and hoisted the spar

In Port Royal there lived a wench named Sweet AnneWho knew all there’s to know about pleasin’ a manI’d call out here name, and to me she’d come Bearing a tankard of Port Royal rum She was bearing a tankard of Port Royal rum

After dreamin’ of Port Royal rum in me bed I’d stand me watch, atop the masthead Conning the waves for the sperm whales’ spout Shiverin' I’d sneak me little old rum-flask out Shiverin' he’d sneak his little rum-flask out

Oh the Devil’s in the bottle, Hell is in the cask But I couldn’t see no harm in just nippin’ at me flask So I kept on a-nippin’ ‘til one day I was caught And I learned then the dangers with which rum is fraught He learned then the dangers with which rum is fraught

The first mate stripped me shirt off and lashed me to the rail Then the bosun, he lashed me with the cat-o-nine tail They splashed rum on me back and laughed as I cried And I wished to the Lord then and there for to dieHe wished to the Lord then and there for to die

For quite a long time I was cured of me thirst I did me best, but the Devil did his worst If I’d never set foot more on Port Royal’s pier I’d not be this old wharf rat that ye see here He’d not be the old wharf rat that we see here

Yes the drink and the Devil and the years done for me ‘Tis the wreck of a once hardy sailor ye see Croakin' songs in this tavern For scurvy sea scum And beggin' for one swallow Of Port Royal Rum